We talk a lot about the role of digital tech in healthcare – its ability to speed up diagnosis, manage conditions and improve both patient care and the way in which healthcare professionals connect with patients, for example. In these testing times, it is also becoming apparent that the role of digital has an increasingly important part to play in the way we continue to care for the elderly population.

Despite lockdown easing measures, the threat from coronavirus is far from over, particularly for more vulnerable sections of society. As the younger population and those with no underlying health conditions start to move back into a pre-COVID-19 existence, however that may look, it’s important we look to ways to keep the elderly and vulnerable connected, safe and involved.

Digital technology is the obvious way to achieve this. There are all manner of solutions making their way to market – some will be better suited to individual needs than others. The Essence Group for example, offers connected smart devices for elderly care, medical settings, and home security, and claims to have formed a core part of governmental and private efforts around the world to safeguard the health of seniors whilst allowing them to live as independently as possible during COVID-19. The company’s telecare solution, Essence SmartCare, has been adapted to support seniors in lockdown by providing a non-obtrusive, 24/7 care system. AI and voice-based remote monitoring solutions means carers and loved ones know their relatives remain connected and safe.

A favourite company of mine is Spirit Digital, part of the Spirit Health Group. The business is continually innovating, which I love. Following NHS England and NHS Improvement Guidance calling for steps to implement a clinical service model for care home support during COVID-19, remote monitoring has been highlighted as vital to this process.

Spirit Digital’s CliniTouch Vie is a digital, remote monitoring platform is designed to connect care homes, carers and nurses with their patients’ GPs. Carers can check patients’ vital signs and answer health questions via a tablet, as frequently as needed. GPs can then connect remotely with carers and patients to provide health and wellbeing advice and intervene where and when more urgent care is needed.

It’s exactly the sort innovation that’s needed at the moment and underlines the pivotal role that digital technology has in this section of our community. It is of course, just one way that digital technology can provide huge benefit to the healthcare system but one which is highly relevant given the pandemic and how we address health and care going forward.

On a separate note, this is my last issue of MTI. I’m off to a new exciting venture. It’s been great working in this industry and getting to know all of the innovative and forward-thinking companies. At a time when so many sectors are suffering, medtech and heathtech are still showing promise, innovation and that they have a key role in the future success of the UK and Irish economies. Keep up the great work!